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- double negative
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Comprehensive English-Chinese Dictionary
Collins English-English Dictionary
- double negative
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1.
n
a syntactic construction, often considered ungrammatical in standard Modern English, in which two negatives are used where one is needed, as in I wouldn't never have believed it
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2.
n
[Usage]
There are two contexts where double negatives are used. An adjective with negative force is often used with a negative in order to express a nuance of meaning somewhere between the positive and the negative: he was a not infrequent visitor; it is a not uncommon sight. Two negatives are also found together where they reinforce each other rather than conflict: he never went back, not even to collect his belongings. These two uses of what is technically a double negative are acceptaable. A third case, illustrated by I shouldn't wonder if it didn't rain today, has the force of a weak positive statement (I expect it to rain today) and is common in informal English
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1.
n
a syntactic construction, often considered ungrammatical in standard Modern English, in which two negatives are used where one is needed, as in I wouldn't never have believed it
Examples
- You can wear a double-breasted vest under a single-breasted suit under a double-breasted coat, if you like.
- 你也可以在双排扣外套里面穿件单排扣套装，里面再穿件双排扣背心。 → double-breasted
- a double consonant
- 双辅音 → double
- a double standard
- 双重标准 → double
- pay double fare
- 付两倍车费(或船费) → double
- a double bed
- 双人床 → double
- leading a double life
- 过着表里不一的生活 → double
- double bass
- 低音提琴 → double
- ride double
- 两人同骑一马 → double
- double the bandage
- 把绷带对折 → double
- double the tenor in brass
- 使铜管乐器的次中音乐器高(或低)八度 → double
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